Machine for winding baixs



July 31, 1951 R. D. WESTON ET AL MACHINE FOR WINDING BALLS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 29, 1947 .Jzzz/sfizfaas f0 52; Did/5570a Edwazm L-SEZYI'EA' July 31, 1951 R. D. WESTON El AL MACHINE FOR WINDING BALLS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 29, 1947 Edward chick Patented July 31, 1951 hoga-Falls, Ohio, assignors to The B. E. Goodrich. Company, New York, N. Y., a. corporation of- New York Application November 29, 1947', Serial N 788,930

18 Claims.

This invention relates to the winding of balls from a filamentary material and is especially useful in the winding of golf balls.

In the manufacture of golf balls and other play balls having a winding of vulcanized rubber thread or tape, the thread or tape is stretched substantially to its elastic limit and wound about a spherical center. Under such high tension great care must be taken to avoid abrasion of the thread or application of intermittent force thereto avoid breaking of the thread.

While it has been found possible to wind the parts have often shifted positions thereby greatly altering the desired. movement when it" was attempted to operate them athigher speeds thereby causing undesirable abrasion of the. thread and nonuniform laying thereof.

It-isan object of thepresent invention to overcome the foregoing and other difiiculties.

Other objects are to provide good: distribution of thread, to provide high speed and uniformity of operation, to provide. perfect balance of the mechanism throughout the operation, to provide a ball with a true spherical winding, to reduce abrasion and breakage of the thread, and to provide increased resistance to wear of. the running parts.

These and: other objects. will appear from the following description and: the accompanying drawings.

Of: the drawings,

Fig. la is a side elevation of apparatus constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, parts being broken away.

Fig.. lb is a view ofa portion of the opposite side thereof- Fig. 2 is aplan view thereof,.parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof, parts being broken away.

Fig. i is a longitudinal vertical sectional view ofthe apparatus, parts being broken. away.

Fig. 5 i a longitudinal horizontal sectional view'taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the winding head taken on line 56 of Fig. 4-.

Fig. 7 is a similar view, taken on line 1-1 of. Fig. 4.

2 Fig. Bis a similar View, taken online B-8i of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is. a similarv view; taken. on line. 9-9. of Fig.4". 5 Fig. 10: is a similarview, taken. on line. [0-4.0

of: Fig. 4;.

annular groove of the clutch member 54.

Referring to; the drawings, the: numeral l0 designates a table onv which a. hollow box-like frame H: issecured. The: frame i l in turn supports ateachend thereof: apairof paced apart pedestal. bearings I22, l3 at one end and. l4, [5 at the other end, having aligned bearings forapair of opposed spindlesupporting; sleeves. H3, 11' movable axially toward and: from each other and which rotatably support opposed windir1g;headsz ltli, l9 adapted: to: rotate: in the; same: direction. to hold and ma-nilziulatev a ball. center; 20 during. the application of'a thread thereto.

The main drive-shaft 25 extends longitudinally of frame H.- and parallel to the axis. of the-sleeves I6, l1, being journaled in bearings 2 6, 2 1;. 28, 29 secured: to the frame H. Near each end of the shaft, 25;, wide faced gears 30, 31 and 321, 33 aresecured. to the. shaft for. driving and manipulating the winding heads I 8, 19,, the wide? faces maintaining; driving engagement. with the. gears of the winding headswhile the windin heads are permitted to move. axially as. the ball increases in size;

For providing equalized movement of the wind.- ing headstoward and from each other and there.- bycentering the ballregardlessof. its growth in diameter, a pair of bell. cranks 34, 35: are pivotally' mounted on: the frame I l, as at 36, 31 and have horizontal arms. having geared sectors 38, 39 at their ends meshing with each other, and forked vertical; shifter arms 40, 4| engaging shifter studs 42, 430i. the sleeves l6, l-l respectively. A weight 45 is piovtally suspended from. an equalizer bar 4.6 which in turn in suspended from gear sectors 38, 39 by links 41, 43. The arrangement. i such that the? weight 45 urges; the winding heads towardeach other to maintain frictional driving contact-with. the ball center.

Driving of the shaft. 25 is. accomplished by a motor 50 fi-Xed to. tablev I0; and; havingv a pinion 5t which. drives a pinion. 52 running freely on shaft 25, a chain 53 transmitting motion from one pinion tothe other. Pinion 52. constitutes one member. of a clutch, the other member of which is. slidea-bly and non-rotatably mounted on shaft 25. A shifter collar 55 engages. in an A shifter fork 5.6 is pivotally mountedon. the frame H and is connected to a hand operated lever 5?.

For quickly stopping. the machine, a brake disc .58 is secured tothe clutch. part 54' in position to engage a fixed brake. disc 59. secured to frame. I l..

seen in Fig. 1a) it applies the brake to stop the shaft 25.

The two winding heads I8, I9 are identical in mechanical construction and are driven in the same direction and operated in unison. A description of one of the heads is as follows:

The head I8 is made up of a set of annular nested members 65, 68, 61, and 68. Member 65 is formed with a hub 65a which is secured to one end of a quill shaft 69. Quill 69 is rotatably mounted in sleeve I6, ball bearings 16, II being provided to reduce friction. A gear-holding hub 12 is secured to the opposite end of quill 69 and removably supports a gear I3 secured thereto. Gear I3 meshes with gear 32 on the drive shaft 25, and is driven thereby.

A shaft 14 extends coaxially through the bore of quill 69, bearings I5, I6 therefor being provided in the ends of the quill for journaling it. A gear supporting hub 11 is fixed to the right end of shaft 14, as seen in Fig. 4, for removeably supporting a gear I8 secured thereto. Gear I8 meshes with gear 33 on shaft 25. Gears 32 and I2 have the same pitch diameter and the same number of teeth. Gear 33 is of less pitch diameter than gear 18, with the result that shaft I8 rotates at slightly less velocity than the velocity of quill 69. The arrangement is such that the head I8 is rotated at one speed while the shaft of rotation of the ball. Two of these rollers 86,

8| are mounted on winding head I8, while the other two 82, 83 are mounted on winding head I9.

It is an important object of the invention to provide for rotating the ball center discontinuously in planes other than the principal plane of rotation of the ball, or in other words the plane of rotation of the winding heads, while the winding heads are being rotated about their axes in order to distribute the thread uniformly about the center. This is accomplished by rotation of rollers 86, 8|, 82, 83 all in the same direction intermittently and oscillating shifting of rollers 80, 8|, 62, 83 lengthwise of their axes during rotation of winding heads I8, I9. As such shifting of rollers 86, BI, 82, 83 as heretofore has been proposed would tend to throw the winding heads I8, I9 out of balance, this invention provides for the shifting of roller 86 in one direction while the roller BI is shifted the same amount in the opposite direction, and for a perfect balancing of all mechanism for operating the rollers at all times, thereby providing for high speed winding not heretofore attained. This is accomplished by axial movement of rollers 80, 82 in the same direction in unison and axial movement of rollers BI, 83 simultaneously in the opposite axial direction. To this end all moveable parts of the winding heads are balanced against each other and are arranged as follows:

The winding head member 68, to facilitate machining, is made in two diametrically divided segments providing therebetween a pair of guideways for slideably Supporting a pair of similar U-shaped carriages 85, 86. The carriages are arranged to slide also upon rods 81, 88, 88, 80

supported in sockets formed in the segments. The segments also have ears SI, 92 respectively formed with bearings for rotatably supporting parallel shafts 93, 94 extending in the direction of rods 81, 88, 89, 90 and extending through clearance openings in the arms of the carriages. Rollers 88, 8I are rotatably mounted on shafts I80, IIlI respectively which are fixed to the arms of carriages 85, 86 respectively. Roller has a pinion I62 secured thereto which meshes with a pinion I63 slideably splined to shaft 93 and roller 8| has a pinion I64 at its opposite end which meshes with a pinion I slideably splined to shaft 94, the opposite arrangement of the pinions balancing these parts dynamically during their movements. Shafts 93, 94 have spiral pinions I06, I81, fixed to their opposite ends respectively for balancing reasons, and these mesh respectively with pinions I88, I89 (see Figs. 5 and 10) secured to shafts III], III respectively, rotatably mounted in the winding head, with their axes parallel to the axis of rotation of the winding head and spaced radially therefrom in balanced relations to each other.

The shafts II8, I I I, and with them the rollers 88, BI, are driven intermittently from shaft I4, which has fixed thereto the driving gears H5, H6 of similar Geneva stop or intermittent gear motions, the driven gears H1, H8 of which are fixed to shafts III, III) respectively. Each Geneva stop motion has six dwells and six rotational movements during a single revolution of shaft I4 and the dwells are made of unequal lengths so as to avoid repetition of winding axes and provide a uniform spherical winding. The gears H5 and IIS are locked together at degrees to each other in rotation and are therefore balanced. As gear I8 has more teeth than gear '12, shaft 14 rotates very slowly relative to driving head I8. As the rotary movements of the rollers 86, 8| are in unequal fractional amounts the winding axis is never the same throughout the winding of the ball. Also between rotative movements, the axis of rotation is constant and not subject to displacement due to lost motion of parts regardless of speed of the machine.

For imparting axial oscillating motion to the rollers 88, 8|, a pair of shafts I28, I2I are rotatably mounted in Winding head members 66, 61 parallel to shaft I4 and in opposite balanced re lation. Fixed to the outboard ends of the shafts are heart-shaped cams I22, I23 respectively (see Fig. 9). Cam I22 is embraced by rollers I24, I25 secured to carriage 85 and cam I23 is similarly embraced by rollers I26, I21 of carriage 86.

For driving the cams I22, I23, a gear I28 (see Fig. 8) is fixed to shaft I4. Gears I36, I3I are fixed to shafts I28, I2I respectively. A pair of stub shafts I32, I33 are secured to winder head member 66, and compound gears I34, I35 are rotatably mounted on them respectively. The compound gears have gears I36, I31 meshing with gears I38, I3I respectively and pinions I38, I39 meshing with gear I28 and fixed respectively to gears I36, I31. These gears are opposite each other diametrically of the winding head so as to balance each other. The arrangement is such that the carriages 85, 86 are oscillated constantly and the rolls 80, 8I always move in opposite directions in balance with each other and thereby rotate the ball center 20 about an axis which is always located in the winding plane but is always angularly changing its location in that plane due to rotation of the winding heads. Different combinations of gears may be provided to change the distribution of the thread as desired 7 As the heart Came I 22', I 23 are each. confined; Between two rollers at all times nolbst'moti'oni is present at any-- speed. Asshown Fig. 9 these cams are faced diametrically" opposite and always balance each other.

The strand of rubber thread on other material to form the winding is applied under tension and fed: froma stationary supply to the sentral plane of rotation of the hall-L For purpose, a bracket I50- (seeFigs. 2 and a r ismounted on the frame H and adjustably'supports a rod [5t having a horizontal shaft [5 2- rotatabl'y journal'ed ther'ethrou'gh. A- sheave [-53 issecured to one end of the shaft; and aibrake drum 5% is secured to the opposite end. Sheave- I53 isin alignment with the central plane of rotation of the ball 20. A'- brake strap ['55- has one end anchored to bracket I50 and its other: end! suspends a tension WeightI SG. The band engages; the drum I54. A- seeonct rod It? secured to the bracket I50 adjustably supports a rod I58= having a bearinglt fo'r a shaft I60. Shaft; L60 has a sheave IGI secured to"- one end thereof and a lorakedrum [62 secured to the other end. sheen/"e I 61 has its axis atninety degrees to thatof sheave [53. A brakestrap [63; has one end fixed to red I51 and its-other end suspends a tension weight I631 The band [63* frihtionally engages the brake drum A spool supporting bracket H55: is fixed to frame I' I and pivotally supports a spool: support [66- havi-ng at opposite ends spool pins I ITF, I 68 for supporting apair of spools, spool 69 01115 being illustrated. A fri'otion look I Ht holds the spool support in the desired relation: tothe bracket I65.

Between the sheave P53 and the ball are a pair of spaced apart guide sheaves I 'FIZ, I 11. The strand from sheave I53 passes under: sheave I-I I and over sheave I 12; sheave IL'IiZ. ismtatably mounted on: an. arm IE'I 3 adiustably secured: to: a bracket M4 on the frame: I'I.

The strand of rubber" thread passes from. spool I69 under sheave "SI and over'sheave I 53; under sheave [1-1 and over sheave m succession to the ball 2m Tens-ion is applied progressively by the band brakes engaging the: brakedrums; at sheaves I'd-I and I EEF. By the provi'si'ort of aidou hle spool holder, thread may be taken: tron-i one:

spool when the other is exhausted with a; miniamum of delay, the support being swung toposttionthe secondspool on= piir I 61 at' theposition of spool IE9.

It is desirable to"- provide for stopping the machine should the thread break: or" the: spool hecome exhausted and also to: stop: the

when the balls become the desired size;- For purpose, the shifter forlc 56 previously'desoribed, is secured toarock shaft I80 on frame H, to which a lever I8' I is also secured:- belt crank lever I 82 is pivotaily mounted, as at I83-;. to frame I I Its horizontal arm has apom and slot connectionwith lever Fa l, as; at I, while; its.

vertieal arm itattached to one end of a tension coil spring I85: The opposite end of the spring is attachedto the end of a-tensiom adjustment bar I86, slideably mounted in a guide- I-B'F seour'erl' toframe I-I' The opposite" end of the liar I86 has a longitudinalthreadedi opening: to? receive a tension screw I '8'8i extending through a) clearance apertureframe- I I Tension oifthesspring I 85 may he adi'uste'd by" turningthe screw I388 which a head bearing on the frame: I The arrangement is such that" the spring v I385 midst 4 the clutch-5i released and: the brake Sit-engaged. A cam I83 also secured to the rock shaft I for looking it olut'eheenga'ging" position. The cam. is of i'nvolu te fermhaving'i a stopshdulde'r; A I90 is pivotaliy mounted on a stud- I91 secured-I to frame IIr A. pawl. 1-92 is pivotaliy mounted on lever- I 90 at [932 lever L90 normal-1y lies in a horizontal position with the F92 resting on cam; I8 9, the free end. of theleverbeing suspended f-rom the armature F94 02f a solenoid I 95. The arrangement such that when lever 5-1 (as seenin Fig;'1a) is moved to the left to engage the clutch, the pawl-v P92 on the cam I89 against its shoulder; holding the clutch in engaged position, and when the solenoid I95 is energized, it hits lever I590 removing the pawl. I92 from engagement with the shoulder of the cam. whereupon spring ['85 disengages'the clutch;

For energizing the solenoid, to raise: the" lever ISIE twosensitive'eleotrioal contractions are included its. circuit so that; closing of either cor-rtaetor will energize the solenoid. One eontaetozr, It, is located on the: tensiorrbracket I 50. An arm= F98 is pitotallymounted on rod L'SI endearries a small sheave I 95 atits free end; sheave I 98 rests on the 'ten'si'one'd threadflbetween sheaves HI and I.T2. Should the thread break, sheave I 99: and arm I-98 drop and contact the eontaetor' I91 toenergize' the solenoid; and thereby disengage the clutch, stopping themaohine.

The other contactor 200 is in the path of a swinging arm- ZIII The arm ispivotally mounted on a cross shaft 202 extending-'- through frame t t. At pinion 20$ on: cross shaft- 202 meshes with a rack 20 fixedtosleeve I1 slotted seet'orarm 2051's fi xed to the en'd or the shaft amt isadjustably clamped to arm- 2 IJI by a bolt 2'06 extending through its areuate slot.

zer carries an adjustable stop-1M for en g'aging" the connector: 2011-. The: arrangement is such that as sleeve I "I' ismoved to the leftas seen in Fig-t 1 11,, by the growth: of the ball, arm 20] engages and cleisesthemnntaetor 200 thereby energizing solenoid I 95 ano't disengaging: the clutch. By reason of the arouate slot in the sec tor 205; the: arm ZIJIE may be adjusted to stop the machine when the' b'all has reached a desired diameter;

Means is also provided for manuall stopping the machine at" desired time. For this purpose a cross-shaft 24 0 rotatably extends. through frame I I and has a hand lever all fixed to one end thereof and an: arm 242" fixed to the other end thereot; Arm 242': extends under the free end of lever- I 90 The arrangement is such; that when: lever" 2-I I= (as seer rin Fig- 1a) is moved. to the right; arm Hi2 lifts lever" I30 disengaging: the clutch is 'cfesi'rahm to provide for." manually separating the winding heads tofaoilitate' placing'of ball centers thereloetween: and for removal 0t finished balls therefrom. For'thisipurpose, abracketZ I-S is mounted on frame I I and: has bearingsfor r0- tatably supporting a shaft ZI-fia A horizontal leve'r' arn rzit-I is fixed to" shatt 21-6: and extends through: a; clearance: opening in; frame I-I So that its end: engages an: opening 21 8 in: lever 38. he vertical; I'ev er" arm. 2141* is: also fixed: to shaft 24- 6. The arrangement: is. such that by moving arm 21 t tether right as seen in Fig: 3;: the- 580';- ton 38;. 3'9 and? weight 45* are raised separatingthe windingfheads;

In; operation of the maohine; the winding 1 heads: are separated: manipulation of: lever: ZHI

An. arcuately 7. and a ball center 20 is placed between the winding heads in alignment with their axis'of rotation. The lever 51 is then forced to the left, as seen in Fig. l to disengage the brakeand engage the clutch, the thread from the supply having been secured to the ball center. The winding heads rotate the ball center about their horizontal axis andalso simultaneously rotate it about a rotating axis at 90 degrees thereto intermittently while also rotating it in an oscillatory manner about a moving axis at 90 degrees to the axis of intermittent motion while maintaining its center in alignment with the axis of the winding heads, thereby distributing the winding to provide a spherical ball. When the ball reaches the desired siZe the clutch is automatically thrown out by separation of the winding heads and the machine stops. Should the rubber thread break during winding the machine stops automatically. I

The mounting of the ball engaging rollers so that two rollers always move axially in opposite directions across the face of a single winding head so as to balance each other completely, together with the arrangement of the roll-manipulating mechanism of the winding heads in continuously balanced relation, permits operation of the machine at high speeds without vibration.

Variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as it is defined by the following claims.

We claim: 1. Apparatus for winding a thread about a ball center to provide a spherical wound layer thereon, said apparatus comprising opposed winding heads for holding a ball center therebetween, means for rotating said heads in the same direction in unison, each head having a pair of rotatable ball centering members for contacting the ball center, and means for effecting a non-rotative movement of said centering members of a winding head in a direction transverse of the axis of rotation of said head simultaneously in opposite directions relative to said head to rotate the ball center about an axis non-coincident with the axis of rotation of the winding head.

2. Apparatus for winding a thread-about a ball center to provide a spherical wound layer thereon, said apparatus comprising opposed winding heads for holding a ball center therebetween, means for rotating said heads in the same direction in unison, each head having a pair of rotatable ball centering rollers for contacting the ball center, means for eilecting simultaneous rotative movement of said centeringrollers of opposed winding heads to rotate the ball center about an axis normal to the axis of rotation'of said winding heads, and means for effecting a nonrotative axial movement of said centering rollers of one winding head simultaneously in opposite directions relative to said head to rotate the ball center about another axis non-coincident with the axis of rotation of the winding head.

effecting a nonrotative movement of said centering means of one winding head simultaneously in opposite directions relative to said head to rotate the ball center about another axis noncoinncident with the axis of rotation of the winding ead.

4. Apparatus for winding a thread about a ball center to provide a spherical wound layer thereon, said apparatus comprising opposed winding heads for holding a ball center therebetween, means for rotating said heads in the same direction in unison, each head having a pair of rotatable rollers for contacting the ball center, said rollers of each head having parallel axes spaced equally at opposite sides of the axis of rotation of said head, and means for effecting simultaneous reciprocal movement of said rollers of a driving head each along its axis in directions opposite to that of the other roller-by equal amounts during the rotation of said driving head to rotate said ball center about an axis non-coincident to the axis of rotation of said winding head.

5. Apparatus for winding a thread about a ball center to provide a spherical wound layer thereon, said apparatus comprising opposed winding heads for holding a ball center therebetween, means for rotating said heads in the same direction in unison, each head having a pair of rotatable rollers for contacting the ball center, said rollers of each head having parallel axes spaced equally at opposite sides of the axis of rotation of said head, means for effecting an intermittent simultaneous rotative movement of the rollers of opposed winding heads all in the same direction during the rotation of said winding heads to rotate said ball center intermittently about an axis normal to the axis of rotation of said winding heads, and means for effecting simultaneous reciprocal movement of said rollers of a driving head each along its axis in directions opposite to movements of the other said roller on said winding head by equal amounts during the rotation of said driving head to rotate said ball center about an axis non-coincident to the axis of rotation of said winding head.

6. Apparatus for. winding a thread about a ball center to provide a spherical wound layer thereon, said apparatus comprising opposed winding heads for holding a ball center therebetween, means for rotating said heads in the same direction in unison about a common axis, each head having a pair of rotatable rollers for contacting .the'ball center, the pairs of rollers on opposite heads having their axes parallel to each other with-said rollers of each head having axes parallel and spaced'equally at opposite sides of the axis of rotation of said head, said rollers of opposed heads contacting said ball center at four points of its circumference, and means for effecting simultaneous reciprocal movement of all said rollers of both driving heads in the direction of their axes with the movement of the two rollers of each winding head being at any moment in :opposite axial directions and the movement of rollers of opposite winding heads having contact with the ball center at points thereof diametrically opposite each other at any moment being in opposite axial directions.

7. Apparatus for winding a thread about a ball center to provide a spherical wound layer thereon, said apparatus comprising opposed winding heads for holding a ball center therebetween, means for rotating said heads in the same direction in unisonabout a common axis, each winding head :havinga pair of carriage slidably mounted thereon for movement parallel to each other in a direction parallel to a diameter of said winding head, said carriages being equally spaced from said diameter, each carriage supporting -a roller having an axis parallel to the direction of movement of the carriage for contacting a ball center, and means effecting simultaneous reciprocal movement of said carriages of a winding head in opposite directions during the rotation of said winding head.

,8. Apparatus for winding a thread about a ball center to provide a spherical wound layer there- ,on, said apparatus comprising opposed winding heads for holding a ball center therebetween, means for rotating said heads in the same direction in unison about a common axis, each winding head having a pair of carriages slida-blv mounted thereon .for movement parallel to each other a direction parallel to a diameter of said winding head, said carriages being equally spaced from said diameter, each ,carriagefsupporting a roller having an axis parallel to the direction of movement of the carriage for contacting a ball center, means elfecting simultaneous reciprocal movement of said carriages .of a winding head in opposite directions during the rotation of said winding head, and means effecting reciprocal movement of the carria es of one winding head being connected to similar means of the opposed winding head for operation of said means of opposed heads in unison.

9. Apparatus for winding a thread about a ball center to provide a spherical Wound layer thereon, said paratus comprising opposed winding heads rotatable about a common axis, means ,for yieldingly urging said winding heads toward each other to retain and rotate .a ball center therebetween, said winding heads each being mounted on a hollow quill shaft, mans for driving both quill shafts in the same direction in unison, a pair of ball-manipulating rolls on each winding head, said rollers having their axes Parallel to each other and spaced equally from'th'e axis of rotation of said winding head in a plane of 1'0- tation perpendicular thereto, the rollers ion opposed winding "heads "having their axes parallel to each other, each roller being mounted on a winding head for oscillating movement in a direction of its axis and for rotation about its axis, the pairs of rollers on opposed winding heads contacting the ball center at four points for bolding and manipulating it, each quill shaft having a manipulating shaft rotatably extending therethrough, means for driving said manipulating shafts at a speed different from that or said'quill shafts and in unison, and means on said 'wind-' .ing heads and driven by said manipulating shafts f r symmetrically s ill ting rollers of a pair on each Winding head in opposite directions during rotation of said windinjg'head. v

10.. Apparatus for winding a thread about a ball center to provide a spherical wound layer thereon, Said apparatus comprising opposed winding heads rotatable about a common axis, means for yielding'ly urging said winding heads toward each other to retain and rotate .a ball center there between, said winding heads each being mounted on a hollow quill shaft, means for driving both quill shafts in the same direction in unison, a pair of ball-manipulatingrollers on each winding head, said rollers having their axes parallel to each other and spaced equally from the axis of rotation of said winding head .ina plane of rota-tion perpendicular thereto, the rollers on opposed winding heads having their axes parallel to each other, each roller being mounted on a winding head for oscillating movement in a direction of its axis :and for rotation about its axis, the pairs [of rollers onopposed winding heads-contacting the ball center at four points for holding and manipulating it, each uuill shaft having a manipulating shaft rota-tabl-y extending there- .through, means for driving said manipulating shafts at a speed different from that of said quill shafts ,and in unison, and means on said winding ,heads and driven by said manipulating shafts for' intermittently rotating all of said rollers in the same direction during rotation of said winding heads about their axes.

11. Apparatus for winding a thread about a ball center to provide a spherical wound layer thereon, said a paratus comprising opposed winding heads rotatable about a common axis, means for yieldingly urging said winding heads toward each other to retain and rotate a ball center therebetween, said winding heads each being mounted on a hollow quill shaft, means tor driving both quill shafts in the same direction in unison, a pair of ball-manipulating rollers on each winding head, said rollers having their axes parallel to each other and spaced equally from the axis of rotation of said winding head in a plane of rotation perpendicular thereto, the rollers .on opposed winding heads having their taxes parallel to each other, each roller being mounted on a winding head for 0 cillating movement in a direction ofits axis and for rotation about its axis, the pairs of rollers on opposed winding heads contacting the ball center at ,four points for holding and manipulating it, each qu-ill shaft having a manipulating shaft rotatably extendin therethrough, means ,for driving said manipulating shafts at a speed ,diiierent from that of said quill shafts and in unison, and means on said driving heads and driven by Said manipulating shafts for intermittently rotating all of said rollers in the same direct-ion during rotation of said winding heads about their axes, said last named means bein arranged to provide consecutive dwells of different lengths of time between relative move: nights of said rollers.

Apparatus for winding a thread about a ball center to provide a spherical wound layer thereon, said apparatus comprisin a rotatable winding head for supporting a ball center and rotating it to draw a thread thereunto, said winding head having ball-contacting members mounted thereon rotatable about axes equidistahtfrom the axis of rotation of the winding head at opposite sides thereof and nonparallel thereto, means for rotatingsaid winding head to qrotatethe ball center about one axis, and means for .effleotingan oscillating movement of said hall-contacting members bodily alon their axes one in a direction opposite to the other during rotation of said winding head to rotate the ball center about an axis nonparallel to the axis of rotation of the winding head.

13. Apparatus for winding a thread about a vball penter to provide a spherical wound layer thereon, said apparatus comprising a rotatable winding head for supporting a ball center and rotating it to draw a thread thereonto, said windin head having ball-contacting members mounted thereon rotatable about axes equidistant from the axis of rotation of the winding head at opposite sides thereof and nonparallel thereto, means for rotating said winding head to tame the ball center about one axis, means for effecting an oscillating movement of said ballcontacting members bodily along their axes in directions one opposite to the other during rotation of said winding head to rotate the ball center about an axis nonparallel to the axis of rotation of the winding head, and means for effecting a rotating movement of said ball contacting means durin rotation of'said winding head to rotate said ball center about a third axis.

14. Apparatus for winding a thread about a ball center to provide a spherical wound layer thereon, said apparatus comprising a rotatable windin head for supporting a ball center and rotating it to draw a thread thereonto, said winding head having ball-contacting members mounted thereon rotatable about axes equidistant from the axis of rotation of the winding head at opposite sides thereof and nonparallel thereto, means for rotating said windin head to rotate the ball center about one axis, means for effecting simultaneously an oscillating movement of said ball-contacting members, one in an opposite direction from the other along their axes during rotation of said winding head to rotate the ball center about an axis nonparallel to the axis of rotation of the winding head, and means for effecting a rotating movement of said ball contacting members durin rotation of said winding head to rotate said ball center about a third axis, said last named means including means for effecting rotation about said third axis intermittently.

15. Apparatus for winding a thread about a ball center to provide a spherical Wound layer thereon, said apparatus comprising opposed winding heads movable toward and from each other for holding a ball center therebetween, each head being mounted on a quill shaft individual thereto for rotation therewith, driving means for rotating said heads in the same direction in unison, each head having a pair of rotatable ball-centering rollers mounted thereon for contacting the ball'center, each said roller being bodily movable along its axis in reciprocatory movements, each quill shaft having a spindle individual thereto extending rotatably therethrough, means for driving the spindles in unison from said driving means at a velocity different from that of said winding heads, and

movable toward and from each other for holding a ball center therebetween, each head being mounted on a quill shaft individual thereto for rotation therewith, driving means for rotating said heads in the same direction in unison, each head having a pair of rotatable ball-centering rollers mounted thereon for contacting the ball center, each said roller being bodily movable along its axis in reciprocatory movements, each quill shaft having a spindle individual thereto extending rotatably therethrough, means for driving the spindles inunison from said driving means at a velocity different from that of said winding heads, and means carried by said winding heads and driven solely by said spindles for positively controlling said ball-centering rollers both in translational reciprocating movements of said rollers relative to said winding heads in a direction axially of said rollers across the axis of rotation of said heads and also in interrupted rotative movements of said rollers about the axes of the rollers to rotatably manipulate the ball center about a plurality of axes for distribution of thread thereabout.

1'7. Apparatus for winding a thread about a ball center to provide a spherical wound layer thereon, said apparatus comprising opposed winding heads movable toward and from each other for holding a ball center therebetween, each head being mounted on a quill shaft individual thereto for rotation therewith, driving means for rotating said heads in the same direction in unison, each head having a pair of rotatable ball-centering rollers mounted thereon for contacting the ball center, each quill shaft having a spindle individual thereto extending rotatably therethrough, means for driving the spindles in unison from said driving means at a velocity different from that of said winding heads, and means carried by said winding heads and driven solely by said spindles for positively controlling said ball-centering rollers in translational movements relative to said winding heads comprising cam means for effecting translational movements of said members radially of said winding heads and also intermittent gear means for effecting interrupted rotative movements of said members about their axes to rotatably manipulate the ball center about a plurality of axes for distribution of thread thereabout.

18. Apparatus for winding a thread about a ball center to provide a spherical wound layer thereon, said apparatus comprising opposed Winding heads movable toward and from each other for holding a ball center therebetween, each head being mounted on a quill shaft individual thereto for rotation therewith, driving means for rotating said heads in the same direction in unison, each head having a pair of rotatable ball-centering rollers mounted thereon for contacting the ball center, each quill shaft having a spindle individual thereto extending rotatably therethrough, means for driving the spindles in unison from said driving means at a velocity different from that of said winding heads, and means carried by said winding heads and driven solely by said spindles for positively controlling said ball-centering rollers in movements relative to said winding heads comprising cam means for effecting translational reciprocating movements of said rollers radially of said Winding heads and also Geneva stop means for effecting interrupted rotative movements of said rollers about their axes and locking of said rollers between rotative movements thereof to rotatably manipulate the ball center about a plurality of axes for distribution of thread thereabout.

ROGER D. WESTON.

EDWARD L. SCHICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Oldham Nov. 8, 193g 

